Guys I am in the process if replacing the 4 banger in my 32 with a 59ab flathead and I have a couple of questions. 1. will the orig. rear end (4cylinder)and torque tube work? 2. Does anyone know of a top loader conversion to a 59ab? 3.What is the biggest obstacle i will have to overcome?
I have a stock 265 bolted to a '35 top loader using the existing original torque tube and 4 cyl banjo. Works just fine......but.....not so sure I'd be mashing the pedal to the floor with rabbit of-the-line, drag racing starts!
First an answer to your questions. 1. Yes the original rear end will work. 2. The '32 to '39 car top loader transmissions will work (or did you mean something newer?). 3> No particular problems stand out. Second, I put this together for someone replacing a stock Model B with a stock V8. You might find some of it interesting: The following are a few thoughts on changing from a 4 to a V8 in a 1932. I restored a Model B roadster in the early seventies. I used a frame from a V8 with the V8 serial number. A couple of years later I decided I need a little more power and reliability (probably a bad decision) and installed a 4 cylinder Chevy II engine. When I made this change it required no irreversible changes and I kept all of the Model B parts. In the 1990’s a good friend tried to convince me to make it a V8. He sold me an original engine and a many of the other parts that were V8 unique. So now it is 2012 and I would like to return the car to original. I have all of the parts to go either way and just need to get started. If I had a Model B engine in the car now I would leave it as you have decided to do. The following changes need to be made when replacing a Model B with a V8 (21 stud, others will require a few more things): Of course engine, motor mounts Muffler and exhaust system before muffler (same after) Radiator Radiator support rods (yes, they are a different length if using stock radiators) Engine steady rods Hubcaps Starter switch (if it is early B with pull starter) Transmission (gears interchange but cases are different) Choke (B is a cable, V8 is a rod) Accelerator linkage Engine splash pans Gas line needs to be routed from right on Model B to left on V8 The B will have a few extra holes in the firewall pad from mounting the 4 cyl engine snubber Need to add emblem to headlight bar Need to accept the fact that the serial number (VIN) is for a 4 cylinder Interesting to note the increase in value for the car is about the same as the cost of making the change Charlie Stephens
Charlie thanks for the info! I was thinking something with OD but we want to keep the banjo with the torque tube. I think I am good everywhere else.
A Mitchell type overdrive in the torque tube like the model a guys use or a Columbia , would be the only solution without major mods
If you want to keep the stock banjo and torque tube that says put a Mitchell overdrive unit in the torque tube. I think most (but maybe not all) of the late model trans conversions mean an open drive rear end but you might try a post on fordbarn. Be sure to downplay the "hot rod" aspects of your project. I decided to stay with the banger and never got to the fan. I was planning on a generator mounted fan from about 1937/38 (the shortest one). I was also planning on about a '37 intake manifold which has the lowest generator mount. Charlie Stephens
I seen a similar thread but cannot find it. Also wondering about pulleys and interference on the front cross member.
I used a '40 Ford front pulley and trimmed the fan mount off of it. The crossmember will require a little trimming so you can sneek the fanbelt through there. I made new front engine mounts and bolted them into the frame channel instead of using the stock '32 V8 legs.
Sorry, it's packed in a barn with no electricity right now. The crossmember has a ridge on the back edge that will need to be cut off, just around the pulley. Bolt the engine to the trans and the trans to the rear mount, then block up the front end as the back mount is installed into the K-member. The snout of the crank should be in line with the top of the front spring mount's handcrank hole. Make your side engine mounts to fit the position of the water pump legs sticking out there. And cut the crossmember for clearance so the belt can slide in. I actually cheated a little and pushed my engine up about a half inch extra in front because I have a tach drive off the front of my crank and needed the clearance above the crossmember for it. Shouldn't hurt the rubber in the rear mount too much.
Couple of recyclable parts from the banger...the rear trans plate/mount will fit any '32-48 V8 3 speeed. Shifter will only fit '32-5 trans, but a piece of angle iron with some holes drilled in it will attach your E-brake to later shifters. The B clutch throw arm should adapt, replacing another expensive bit. I have not tried it, but some comparisons I did suggested that B engine steady rods (the most common type, not real early variants) might well be adaptable to V8 buy turning down threaded portion and messing around some. Maybe. Radiator...I don't think there is any way around spending a bunch of money there!
Only thing you need to do to the steady rods is thread them down a little more. Then mount them through the other set of holes in the K-member. Make sure to use the '32 clutch arm as a later one won't have the right ratio. On the parking brake, some guys use the original mechanical brake pivots on the backside of the K-member to rig up their emergency brake linkage. I had my little brother the engineer calculate the proper ratio and made a new idler arm to get the brake handle ratio to the proper pull length that the '40 rear brakes needed. Or you could use the product that "We're Only '32" offers.
Mine is a '39 Merc engine. Same shape as any other flathead if you wanted to bolt the '38-'48 style water pumps on it. The key to my install is the single fanbelt. I didn't have room for a mid to late 40's dual belt system if I wanted to use the tach drive.
Thank you Mr alchemy for that as I also have an option for a 39-42 Merc. Seems like I have hijacked this thread and sorry to the original poster.
I hope the OP doesn't mind but I have a question regarding using a 8ab. Will there be much difference from what has been posted to date? And what're lens will I face making the 8ab into a single belt engine. I will be asking I these questions again on a more detailed thread.
Somewhere on here there's an old post of mine giving some of the front dimensions of hotrod type flatheads vs the late version... Basic story is that all flathead block fronts are in the same place, but accessories make a difference of several inches. The stock 8BA types start out with a handicap (besides the wretched distributor itself) over earlies because of the rear sheave belt's position. On early flatheads of all years, this belt is about as close to the engine as is physically possible, but on the 8BA it has to be moved out to clear the distributor. Also, if you eliminate any forward belt, on an 8BA you have to invent a fan position, while the early engines can simply use a '32-39 type generator mounted fan. IF your late engine needs a rebuild or is even getting a hot cam, toss the garbage and use 59 type cam allowing all early front stuff to be adapted easily. IF engine is ready to run, you probably don't want to go in there...it will I believe fit reasonably despite the clutter in a '32, but those extra inches become a problem in an A V8. The early gives you an easy single belt setup and ability to use a nearly flat distributor and fan very close to belt, and of course solves the distributo problem more cheaply than the aftermarket stuff needed for 8BA
Thank you Bruce. I was hoping you would advise as your knowledge is so complete. Any thoughts on writing a book?
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